Adjustable structure.



No. 860,531. PATENTED JULY 16, 1907. g P. w. coy.

ADJUSTABLE STRUCTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 190B.

- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ifi forays m: NQRRIs n-rrns co., WASHINGYON. o. c,

PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

. F. W. GOY.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M W QUWNL w FREDERICK W. (JOY,

OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES F. BROWN,

TRUSTEE, OF READING, MASSACHUSETTS.

ADJUSTABLE STRUCTURE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed May 5,1906. Serial No. 316,403.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 'I, FREDERICK W. GoY, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Adjustable Structures, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a two-part structure comprising a base sectionand an adjustable section movable vertically relatively to the basesection, and may be embodied in a seat or bench for musical instruments,as well as in other structures.

The invention has for its object to enable the adjustable part of astructure of the character stated to be moved vertically to any extentdesired by the depression of a lever, and to be supported at any pointwhere it is left when the movement of the lever ceases.

The invention also has for its object to provide an adjustable seatstructiu'e, the seat portion of which is subdivided into independentlyadjustable sections, each of which constitutes a seat for one person,this part of the invention being embodied in a seat structure having anelongated seat capable of supporting two persons while playing at thesame instrument, the part of the seat supporting each person beingcapable of inde pendent vertical adjustment, so that one player may sitat a different level from the other player, the two seat sections beingcapable of adjustment to the same level, and the seat as a whole beingadjustable vertically by the action of the lever above referred to.

The invention consists in the several improvements which will nowproceed to describe and claim:

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecificatiom-Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of anadjustable structure embodying my invention, formed as a duet bench.Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents aview similar to a portion of Fig. 2, showing the operating lever inposition to release the adjustable section. Fig. 4 represents a sideview of the operating lever de tached. Fig. 5 represents a top view ofthe operating lever., Figs. 6 and 7 represent perspective views of theparts of the operating lever. Fig. 8 represents a section on line 88 ofFig. 1.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, which show my invention embodied in an adjustable seator bench, 12 represents the base section, which, as here shown, isprovided with legs, and 13 represents the adjustable section, which ismovable vertically with relation to the base section. The said sectionsare provided with complemental guide members, which, as shown in Fig. 1,comprise sockets 14 14 aflixed to the base section, and a stud orstandard 15 affixed to the adjustable section, and movable in saidsockets. To an ear 16 on the base section is pivoted to the outer part19 of the operating lever.

at 17 a two-part lever, comprising an inner part 18, which engages thepivot 17, and an outer part 19, pivoted at 20 to the inner part. Theouter part 19 is provided with a clutch member 21, formed as aprojection on one side of the part 19, the said projection having aconcave clutch face 22.

23 represents a complement-a1 clutch member, which is of segmental form,and is pivoted at 24 to an ear 25 affixed to the base section 12. Theconvex edge of the segmental member 23 cooperates with the concave faceof the clutch member 21. The outer lever part 19 is normally held by aspring 26 in the position shown in Fig. 2, the concave face of theclutch member 21 being thrown out of parallel with the convex face ofthe clutch member 23, and caused to bind at one end upon the latter, asshown in Fig. 2, the arrangement being such that the clutch member 23,by its engagement with the clutch member 21, prevents upward movement ofthe operating lover. The described engagement between the clutch members21 and 23 does not, however, prevent the downward movement of theoperating lever, the clutch member 21 sliding freely downward on theclutch member 23. When, however, the outer lever part 19 is moved to theposition shown in Fig. 3, against the pressure of the spring 26, theopposed faces of the clutch members 21 and 23 are brought intoparallelism with each other, so that the operating lever may be movedfreely in either direction. It will be seen, therefore, that theoperating lever may be freely depressed to any point within the limitsof its movement, by pressure upon is outer end, which is provided with apedal 27. It will also be seen that whenever pressure is removcd fromthe operating lever, it is again locked, by the action of the spring 26and the clutch members, against upward movement. The spring 26 issupported in a casing on the inner lever part 18, and exerts pressure onan arm 28 formed on the outer lever member 19. The operating lever isconnected with the adjustable section 13 in such manner that thedepression of the lever, as above described, raises the section 13, thelatter being supported at any height to which it may thus be raised bythe co-action of the clutch members 21 and 23. The said connection, ashere shown, comprises a lever composed of two arms 29 and 30, affixed toa hub 31, which is mounted to turn on a stud 32 affixed to the basesection 12, the arms 29 and 30 being preferably offset from each other,as shown in Fig. 2. The arm 29 has a segmental outer end, which iscurved, and has attached to it a short length 33 of wire rope or otherflexible material, which is attached The arm 30 enters a slot in thestandard 15 of the adjustable section. It will be seen that when theoperating lever is depressed, the arm 29 will be corrcspoiulinglydepressed through the (lcxible connection 3, the arm 30,

with the standard 15, and adjustable section 13, being correspondinglyraised. As before stated, the release of the operating lever after itsdepression causes the locking of the adjustable section at any height towhich it may have been raised. When it is desired to release and lowerthe adjustable section, the operator exerts downward pressure on thelatter, and at the same time moves the outer part of the operating leverto the position shown by full lines in Fig. 3. This manipulation causesthe clutch members to assume the relation shown in Fig. 3, and permitsthe depression of the adjustable section to any desired extent.

The above-described construction may include the entire structure, thesection 13 constituting the entire seat. I have, however, shown asectional seat, the seat top, supported by the section 13, beingsubdivided to form two seat sections 35 35, which are verticallyadjustable independently of the section 13, and of each other, and anintermediate section 36, which is aflixed to the section 13. Thepreferred means for permitting the independent adjustment of the seatsections 35 and for supporting each section at any height to which itmay be independently adjusted, comprise vertical cylindrical supportingmembers 37 affixed to the base section 12.

38 38 represent tubular standards affixed to the seat sections 35 35,and movable in guides 39 39 affixed to the adjustable section 13.

For convenience, I will hereinafter describe the sup porting andadjusting mechanism for one of the seat sections 35, and will refer tothe part 37 as the supporting member, and the part 38 as the supportedmember. Within the supported member 38 is an annular clutch 40, whichhas a swinging engagement with the supported member, and is adapted toengage the supporting member 37, the said clutch surrounding thesupporting member. The orifice surrounded by the clutch 40 is of suchsize and form that when the clutch is slightly inclined relatively tothe axis of the supporting member 37 the clutch is firmly engaged withor grips the said member, thus rigidly connecting the supported member38 with the supporting member 37 and preventing downward movement of theseat section 35. When the clutch 40 is swung downwardly upon a plane atright angles with the axis of the member 37, the hold of the clutch onthe member 37 is released so that the member 38 and the seat section 35are free to slide downwardly. The clutch is normally held in engagementwith the supporting member 37 by means of a spring 41 exerting an upwardpressure on the clutch near one edge of the latter. The opposite edge ofthe clutch is seated on a shoulder 42 within the tubular member 38.

43 represents a stop which limits the upward swing ing movement of theclutch 40, and is rigidly aflixed to the tubular member 38. The underside of the stop 43 is inclined so that it confines the correspondingportion of the clutch against vertical movement, the opposite side ofthe clutch being free to swing vertically. 44 represents a rod which ismovable vertically in the tubular member 38, and bears against theclutch 40.

45 represents a lever pivoted at 46 to the seat section 35, one end ofsaid lever being engaged with collars or flanges afiixed to the rod 44,while the other end of the lever has a push piece or head located underthe outer pressed upwardly, the rod 44 is pressed downwardly, throwingthe clutch out of engagement with the member 37, thus permitting thedesired movement of the member 38 and the seat section 35 supportedthereby. When pressure is removed from the lever 45, the spring 41forces the clutch 40 into engagement with the member 37, thus arrestingthe downward movement of the member 38 and the seat, the latter beingsupported at any height to which it may have been moved when thepressure on the clutch was released. It will be seen from the foregoingthat when the seat sections 35 are lowered to a bearing on the section13, the three sections 35, 35 and 36 furnish a continuous seat ofuniform height. Either of the sections 35 may be raised to any extentpermitted by the described mechanism, so that two players of differentheights may be accommodated by the seat.

The outer lever part 19 is provided with a guide 50, which bears on theback of the clutch member 23, and prevents it from swinging out ofengagement with the clutch member 21. The convex face of the clutchmember 23 may be milled or toothed, if desired, to give it a positiveengagement with the member 21.

The adjusting and supporting mechanism comprising the two-part operatinglever, having a clutch member, and adapted for pivotal connection with asupport, and the clutch member 23 having a holder such as the ear orbracket 25, adapted for attachment to said support, may be employed foradjustably supporting the parts of various adjustable or telescopicstructures, and is not limited to use in connection with the seatstructure here shown.

It will be observed that the clutch member 23 constitutes a strut whenengaged with the clutch member 21, the said strut being subjected toendwise compressive pressure, and therefore adapted to sustain theweight of the adjustable section and its attachments.

The supporting and supported parts 37 and 38, and the clutchcofiperating therewith, comprise a clutchcontrolled standard, which inits general construction is, or may be, substantially as set forth inLetters Patent of the United States No. 811,278, dated January 30, 1906.It will be seen that in the present invention the two standards employedto adjustably connect the seat sections 35 35 with the adjustablesection 13, cooperate with the base section in supporting the endportions of the adjustable section in any position the latter mayassume. As above stated, the supporting parts 37 of said standards arerigidly attached to the base section, while the supported parts 38 areattached to the seat sections 35, and connected through the latter withthe adjustable section 13. When the section 13 is Taised, the clutches4O slip upwardly on the supporting members 37 of the standards, andengage said members to hold the supported members of the standards aftereach adjustment, hence the adjustable section of the structure as awhole is supported at three points at any height'to which it may beadjusted, viZ., at its central portion by means of the operating leverand the clutch members 21 and 23, and at its end portions by means ofthe adjustable clutch controlled standards. The end supports thusprovided will operate as described, whether the seat be of the describedsectional construction or not.

The supporting parts 37 of the clutch controlled edge of the seatsection 35. When the push piece is 1 standards may be of any desiredform in cross section,

vbinding of the parts of the adjustable standards, and is essential tothe free up and down movements of the adjustable section. I

To prevent the supporting member 37 and the seat section 35 supportedthereby from turning horizon tally when the seat section is raised, Iprovide the seat section with means for engaging the adjustable section13, the ,means here shown being arms 52 affixed to corner portions ofthe seat sections, and in sliding contact with corner portions of thesection 13.

I claim:

1. An adjustable structure comprising a base section, an adjustablesection guided by the base section, a twopart operating lever fulcrumedon the base section, one of the parts of said lever having a clutchmember, a complemental clutch member engaged with the base section, saidmembers normally locking-thelever against movement in one directiononly, and connections between the lever and the adjustable sectionthrough which a movement of the lever in the opposite direction raisesthe adjustable section.

2. An adjustable. structure comprising a base section, an adjustablesection guided by the base section, an operating lever comprising aninner part pivoted to the base section, and an outer part pivoted to theinner part, and provided with a clutch member, a complemental clutchmember engaged with the base section, a spring which holds the clutchmembers yieldingly engaged, said members normally locking the leveragainst movement in one direction only, and connections between thelever and the adjustable section through which a movement of the leverin the opposite direction raises the adjustable section.

3. An adjustable structure comprising a base section, an adjustablesection guided by the base section, a twopart operating lever fulcrumedon the base section, one of the parts of said lever having a clutchmember, a complemental clutch member engaged with the base section, saidmembers normally locking the lever against movement 'in one directiononly, a lever fulcrumed on the base section, and having two arms, one ofwhich is engaged with the adjustable section, and a connection betweenthe other arm of said lever and the outer part of the operating lever.

4. An adjustable structure comprising a base section, an adjustable topsection guided by the base section and subdivided into independentlyadjustable seat sections. means for bodily raising the adjustable topsection, said means having provisions for supporting said sectionagainst downward movement in any position to which it may be adjusted,and means for independently supporting the adjustable seat sections onthe base section.

5. An adjusting; and supporting mechanism comprising a twopart leverhaving an inner part adapted for pivotal engagement with a support, andan outer part pivoted to the swinging end of the inner part, andprovided with a clutch member. and a complcmental clutch member pivotedto a holder which is adapted for attachment to said sup'- port. saidlever having a spring which holds the clutch members in yieldingengagement with each other, and a guide for the back of the pivotedclutch member.

6. An adjustable structure comprising a base section. a clutclr memberformed as a strut supported by the base section, an operating leverfulcrumed on the base section, and having a clutch member and provisionsfor yieldingly engaging the latter with said strut, the said clutchmember and strut normally locking the lever against movement in onedirection only, an adjustable section guided by the base section, andconnections between the lever and the adjustable section through which amovement of the lever in the opposite direction raises the adjustablesection.

1'. An adjustable structure comprising a base section. an elongatedadjustable section, guide members connecting the central portions ofsaid sections, means supported by the base section for raising theadjustable section, and holding it at any point to which it may beraised, and adjustable clutch controlled means supported by the basesection for supporting the end portions of the adjustable section,whereby the elongated adjustable section as a whole is supported atthree points by the base section.

8. An adjustable structure comprising a base section, an elongatedadjustable section, guide members connecting the central portions ofsaid sections, means supported by the base section for raising theadjustable section, and holding it at any point to which it may beraised, support ing members atlixcd to the end portions of the basesection. supported members ailixcd to the adjustable section, andinc-losing the supporting members, and swinging clutches carried by thesupported members, and normally engaging the supporting members, wherebythe elongated adjustable section as a whole is supported at three pointsby the base section.

In testimony whereof I have'allixed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

FREDERICK \V. COY.

Witnesses C. 1*. BROWN, L. Tlnnixdims'r.

